A few years ago, I was in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park photographing landscapes during the Christmas Holidays (summer in the southern latitudes). Because of the park’s isolation, changeable weather and rugged terrain, hotel options are limited and camping is often the only way to be in the right place at the right time to photograph when the light is sweetest (first and last light). On Christmas Eve, our group was camping below the mighty Bariloche Peak, a jagged, 8,530 ft. granitic mountain, hoping the next day would bring us good photography conditions.

I woke up well before dawn on Christmas Day to get dressed, gather my camera gear and head out the tent. To my surprise nobody else joined me, though admittedly I was tempted to stay in my warm sleeping bag. After leaving the tent I clambered up the side of a small hill near our campsite, framed my shot (using a tripod) and waited. Slowly an ever more beautifully, the sun’s warm rays painted the clouds above the peak pink, as it turned the top of the peak dark salmon. Above it all was a tiny moon, getting ready to set. The natural spectacle came and went within a few minutes (the “golden hour” does not last an hour, by the way), and I was able to capture it with my camera. As I happily hiked back to camp, I thought to myself Merry Christmas indeed.

Living in these moments, when you make all the necessary efforts and get the shot, is my favorite thing about being a travel photographer (needless to say not all efforts are well rewarded). But there are many other things I like about being a photographer as well.

1. Being Your Own Boss: I decided to travel to Torres del Paine because (a) I wanted to see and photograph in Patagonia, and (b) I thought I could write an article about my experience and sell it to a magazine (which I did). Having the flexibility to set you own schedule and itinerary, though scary at times, is awesome!
2. Being Creative: Although I do not consider myself a fine art photographer, I enjoy the process of working a subject photographically, looking for the best (or different) angle, waiting for the best light, and using the best piece of equipment (a particular lens or filter, for example), all of which involves the creative process. I also enjoy technical challenges like being forced to photograph in low light without flash, or how to flatter a subject that is not that attractive (what some call “putting lipstick on a pig”).
3. Learning New Things: Most travel photographers, like me (and probably you), are curious by nature. We want to see what’s on the other side of town, or of the hill, or of the ocean. Being curious in turn leads to learning about all kinds of new things, and not just about f-stops and shutter speeds, but also about marketing, developing your images, becoming a better writer, designing and maintaining a web site, and so on. I like that.
4. Feeling a Sense of Accomplishment: Getting your work published (OMG!), getting paid for it, being asked by a photography group to give a talk about what you do, sharing your knowledge with photography students, or perhaps winning a photo contest; all of these things will produce a sense of accomplishment that is difficult to match when you work for someone else.
5. Not Getting the Shot (yes, I like this too): I love travelling, being on the go, being outside. None of these things are diminished if I’m unable to get a great shot because of bad weather, a moving truck in front of my subject, or whatever. Instead, I pull out my recipe for making lemonade and make the most out of the situation. This usually means making “photo” notes for future reference (what would be the best time to come back, whether the subject is lit at night), gathering information about the subject that I could use for an article, etc. No matter what, I always get something from my outing.

Now get out and shoot something.